Latest NCAA Division I, Top 25 Times Released

As we wrap up this Division I college swimming season and put together this last Speedo/CSCAA Top 25 Best Times List, let's see who the leaders are going into this week's women's NCAA championships at Texas and the men's championships the following week at Georgia.

Freestyle, Cal sophomore Natalie Coughlin has led the women's 50-100 free (22.21-47.76) since early December. Close behind in second is Georgia's Maritza Correia, who posted her second-place times (22.31-48.29) at the SEC Conference Championships. Coughlin also has the top time in the 200 free (1:43.30) from the Pac-10 Championships. The new leaders in the longer distances are Emily Mason of Arizona (500 free, 4:38.79) and Flavia Rigamonti of SMU who swam a stunning 1650 free (15:45.93) at the WAC Championships.

Michigan's Dan Ketchum holds the No. 1 spot in both the 200 (1:34.19) and 500 (4:16.30) free, courtesy of his swims at the Big 10 Championships. A trio of Pac-10 swimmers are tops in their respective events: Arizona's Roland Schoeman (50 free, 19.33), Cal's Duje Draganja (100 free, 42.82) and USC's Erik Vendt (1650 free, 14:44.22). Vendt was second to Ketchum in the 500 free by 1-hundredth.

Backstroke, Coughlin is tops in the back, again with times done in late November (100 back, American record 50.71; 200 back, 1:50.76). Beth Botsford, an Arizona junior, holds the second position in both events (100 back, 53.32; 200 back, 1:53.76). Botsford is actually tied for second in the 100 with Stanford's Amy Wagner. Two Stanford swimmers are first in the nation in the backstrokes for men: Peter Marshall (100 back, 45.61) and Markus Rogan (200 back, 1:40.79).

Breaststroke, Stanford's Tara Kirk set the American record in the 100 breast (58.68), and was the only female swimmer to break one minute in the event. She finished second in the 200 breast by 4-hundredths to Arizona State's Agnes Kovacs; both times were performed at the Pac-10 Championships. For the men, Pat Calhoun from Auburn is No. 1 in the 100 breast (53.16) and Gary Marshall of Virginia is first in the 200 breast (1:54.79). Texas' Brendan Hansen is second in both events (100 breast, 53.33; 200 breast, 1:55.68).

Butterfly, Natalie Coughlin's 51.22 from the Texas Invitational still stands as the top time this year. Stanford's Shelly Ripple is second (52.16) from Pac-10s, where she also gained a No. 1 ranking in the 200 fly (1:53.50). Coughlin is second in the 200 fly (1:54.55), with SMU's Georgina Lee 3-hundredths back. Texas' Ian Crocker is tops in the men's 100 fly (46.23); teammate Rainer Kendrick leads the 200 fly (1:43.92).

IM, Auburn's Maggie Bowen was leading both events from her times at SECs (200 IM, 1:56.51; 400 IM, 4:08.40). She still leads the 200 IM, but SMU's Alenka Kezjar sped to a 4:07.30 clocking at the WAC Championships to take over the lead in the 400 IM. Stanford swimmers cranked out nation-leading efforts for the men at the Pac-10 Championships: Dan Trupin in the 200 IM (1:43.83) and Markus Rogan in the 400 IM (3:42.76). Rogan also holds the second spot in the 200 IM (1:44.58).

The NCAA Division I Championships promise to have plenty of exciting, close races, we will have complete up-to-the-minute coverage on our web site (http://www.swiminfo.com). This will be the last list of the season; if you have corrections to the list, please let us know (judyj@swiminfo.com) and we will update the list as needed.